


Better Late Than Never

by Kiterie



Series: KakaIruFest Exchange Fics [3]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-07-04
Updated: 2010-07-04
Packaged: 2017-11-27 13:58:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/662782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiterie/pseuds/Kiterie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A fight before a mission leaves Kakashi wondering if he's ruined everything and if he can ever come home again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Better Late Than Never

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Taudi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Taudi/gifts).



Kakashi knelt in front of the grave for a moment his fingers tracing the grooves of the names he knew all too well. The rain had gone on for a week, the entire time he'd been gone, but it had stopped a few minutes ago to his surprise. The water pooled on the stone and his reflection shone up at him from several of the puddles. He slid one mask up on top of his head and the other under his chin, wondering when he'd started preferring seeing them over his own face in those reflections. He wondered because he knew when he'd stopped preferring it.

When he'd first put it on it had been a relief, something he could hide behind. It had been easier to put a on a mask than to take one off. From the moment he'd put it on he'd been a shadow and a ghost. Now it was a weight.

"We had a fight. Before I left. I think I might have ruined things." It had been a stupid fight and one that was entirely his fault. To be honest, Kakashi wasn't sure if Iruka would throw something heavy in his direction if he showed up right then. The man was prone to throwing things when he was pissed. And hitting. And biting. Kakashi didn't mind the biting or any of it really though he'd never tell his lover that. That was, of course, if he still had one. Would Iruka tell him to leave, that it was over? He wasn't sure.

Getting up, he turned and leapt into the trees and then to the rooftops, stopping only once he was outside of Iruka's apartment. The traps were set so tightly he couldn't even sense the chunin inside. He could get in, it wouldn't be that hard really, but Iruka didn't want him there so  it didn't really matter. His question had been answered.

Pulling the masks back into place he headed home. The happiness he'd felt at being home again, at being able to see Iruka again, faded. All the relief had twisted into a tight little ball in his stomach making him feel sick and empty.

He'd managed to convince himself that Iruka would forgive him, that he just had to make it home and it would all fix itself. That was how it was _supposed_ to be because they were _supposed_ to be together. But then again you weren't _supposed_ to tell your lover, your best friend, the person who meant everything to you that they didn't understand, that they couldn't because they were just a chunin and they didn't get the kinds of missions you did.

He found himself shaking and stopped, not far from his apartment, to gather himself. Rubbing the swirl tattoo on his shoulder he forced himself to concentrate on being calm, only managing it after he'd focused on suppressing his chakra like he was preparing for a mission. The ache in his stomach was now accompanied by one in his chest. Going home wasn't supposed to hurt like this, it wasn't supposed to make him want to turn around and run. Kakashi took a deep breath and forced himself to move.

The building was dark, quiet, and uninviting. He didn't know if that made it easier to slip inside or not. Maybe, he thought, a warm welcoming cottage would be worse right then.

His heart stopped at the same moment his foot hit the floor under his window.

Iruka shifted slightly, making a small noise, likely registering his presence despite still being asleep. Two bits of metal slid off of the bed and clinked together, the chain still clutched by the sleeping chunin.

"Iruka..." Kakashi's voice shook and he swallowed, forcing the tears of relief back. One fell anyway and he reached up to pull the ANBU mask off.

Brown eyes opened and Iruka smiled up at him. "You're late."

Kakashi set the mask down. "You're here..." The only thing holding the tears back at this point was shock.

The  hand holding the dog tags, _his_ dog tags, reached up and took his hand. "Of course, this is where I'm supposed to be," Iruka whispered sleepily, pulling Kakashi into bed and wrapping his arms around him.

"I'm sorry..." It was all Kakashi could manage to get out. He buried his face against Iruka's neck and shoulder then slid his own arms around the man's waist.

"Better late than never," Iruka said, tightening his hold.

Kakashi had known before he'd been wrong, he'd known the minute he'd said it, Iruka understood him better than anyone. _This_ just proved it.

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt #: 87 by Taudi  
> Genre: Angst or drama  
> Three things that can be included: Dog tags, tattoes, mirrors  
> Scenario: If I come tonight, would you let me in?


End file.
